Another great museum to see in Washington DC is the American History Museum. It has a little bit of everything Americana from the founding of the country to present day. Examples of items to see there are the original Star Spangled Banner, one of George Washington’s uniforms, R2D2 and C3PO and of course the chairs from the sitcom “All In The Family”.
Back when I lived in DC, if one was going to visit the American History Museum, people would say things like, “Don’t forget to see Archie’s chair”, or “Be sure to see Archie's chair”. Then people who visited would always say, “We saw Archie’s chair!” It was a big deal back in the ‘80s. Now, not so much, but it brought back memories when I saw the chairs again.
If you are ever in DC, drop by the museum and see Archie’s chair!
From The Brave browser’s Leo AI regarding the chairs:
The chairs were originally purchased by the show's set designer for approximately $8 at a Goodwill thrift store in Southern California. They were selected for their drab, "lived-in" appearance to match the working-class aesthetic of the Bunker home at 704 Hauser Street. In September 1978, producer Norman Lear donated the original chairs to the Smithsonian, believing the series All in the Family was concluding after its eighth season.
CBS renewed the show for a ninth season. Because the original props were already in the museum's collection, the production team was forced to spend thousands of dollars (reports cite around $15,000) to construct precise replicas for continued filming. These replicas were used for the final season of All in the Family and the subsequent spin-off, Archie Bunker's Place.
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